Computing machine



F. w. BLAKE.

COMPUTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1920.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. BLAKE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD COMPUTINGMACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMPUTING MACHINE.

Application filed May 26,

To all whom it may concern:

i been returned to zero.

-provided with a suitable resistance.

Be it known that I, FRANK W. BLAKE, a citizen of the United States,residing in Brooklyn Borough, in the county of Kings, city and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ComputingMachines, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to the registers of computing machines, esecially those of the type known as the nderwood standard bookkeepingmachine, which both typewrites and computes.

In the Underwood'machine, the registers which display the totals, andwhich are located at the extreme front of the machine, are usually inthe shadow of the operator, so that they are not easily read.

According to the present invention, the registers are provided withelectric lights to illuminate them, and provision is made whereby whenany register is out of use, its light is automatically extinguished,thereby economizing electricity. Other advantages are gained, inasmuchas a check is also afi'orded for thebenefit of the operative, who isapprised by the extinguishing of any light that the dials in thatregister have all The operative is also able to distinguish easily whichregisters are in active use, and it is never necessary to scrutinize thedials to ascertain whether they all stand at zero. In other words, in amachine having several registers, there may be a separate light for eachregister, and each light may be separately controlled by its ownregister, so that the state of any register may be recognized Withoutattempting to read the dials.

The register lights may, be connected to an ordinary lighting circuit,and may be In some cases, the resistance may be in the form of anelectric desk lamp, which customarily is placed in position toilluminate the keyboard. A telltale or warning signal is atforded, incase any lamp burns out. Preferably, the register lights may beconnected in series with the desk lamp, and may be short-circuited whenthe dials of the register stand at zero, each registerlight beingseparately short-circuited b the movement of its own register bar orail.

The closing and opening of the register 1920. Serial No. 384,312.

lamp circuit or circuits may be dependent upon the movements of a bar orbail, which is usually provided at each register to control a type whichprints a clearance star upon the work-sheet.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the front of an Underwoodstandard bookkeeping machine, the cover and many other parts beinglargely broken away.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic, sectional, side View of the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a register and a diagramof its electric connections when used with another register, as embodiedin one form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a diagram of wiring, showing an alternative form of theinvention.

Figure 5 is a side view of the register and electric contact seen inFigure 3.

Figure 6 is a side view, somewhat similar to Figure' 5, but showing thecontact for the form of the invention illustrated in F igure 4-.

In the Underwood standard bookkeeping machine, register orcomputingwheels 10 are rotated by rack bars 11 on the front ends of pinbars 12, which latter are adapted to be driven forward at the actuationof a general operator 13, herein diagrammatically shown as adapted to bedriven forward by drawing forward the handle 14 used on some types ofthe Underwood standard bookkeep-- ing machine,

The rack bars 11 are driven varying distances according to the pins setup on the pin bars 12, the pins being set in the usual manner shown inthe patent to Hans Hanson, No. 1,278,812, dated September 10, 1918. Oneform of said machine, having several registers is shown in the patent toFrederick A. Hart, No. 1,281,953, dated October 15, 1918.

In order to enable a sign to be printed ects printing by releasing astar type-bar (not shown herein, but oneform of which is upper end ofits stem, because a locking bail 19 is held in the path of said lugwhenever any wheel of its register shows any digit other than'zero. Tobring about this result, each wheel 10 usually comprises teeth 20, whichare, engaged by a detent 21, adapted to normally seat itself to alimited extent between .any two of the teeth 20. \Vhen, however, anywheel 10 of a register stands at zero, its detent 21. can seat itselfmore deeply, because it seats in the cut-out portions 22 of the teeth 20which then stand adjacent its detent 21. V

The bail 19 of any register extends past all the detents 21 of thatregister, and is adapted to engage tails 23 on said detents,

with the result that its spring 24 swings thebail 19 rearwardly,carrying its detents into the teeth 20 of its register wheels 10, andthus, whenever said wheels stand at zero, carrying the detents 21 intothe cut-out portions 22. The bail 19 is fast to rock arms 25, so that itswings as a whole to and from its wheels 10, with the result that whenany detent 21 engages with any teeth 20, which are not cut away, thebail 19 is swung outwardly to its Figure 5 position, thus locking itsstar-printing key 15 by underlying the lug 18 thereof.

Each wheel 10 usually has nine digits, besides the digit 0 usuallyrunning from 1 to 9, and so positioned that they may be read through thesight-opening 26 in the top27 of the casing which contains the computingmechanism. The sight-opening 26 is usually covered with a piece 0 glass28 of considerable thickness to avoid any likelihood of its breaking.Thus, digits on the wheels 10 have to be read through the glass 28, and,for structural purposes, the wheels 10, while close to the top 27, arenecessarily clear thereof, with the result that only a small amount oflight reaches the numerals or digits on the wheels 10. The amount oflight is necessarily considerably restricted, because there is provideda shield 29 adjacent the front and rear margins of the sight-openin 26,to obscure the numera-ls or digits ad acent those to be read, thuspreventing the typist from erroneously copying a digit from the wrongrow.

The shields 29 are usually painted strips upon'part of the glass 28. Thelight upon the digits on the wheels 10 is also poor, owing to the factthat the light coming from the rear of the machine is cut oil' by thefront of the frame of the machine, and the rising rear portion, 30 ofthe top 27 also cuts ofi some light,

may be of the form used in telephone switchboards and a little largerthan a leadpencil,

said light being held over and adjacent thecenter of its register bysmall brackets or fingers 32 held by screws 33 to the portion 30 of thetop 27. The light or lamp 31 may lie axially of the register, behind butadjacent the shield 29, so that its direct rays can hardly'b'e visiblethrough the glass 28, and yet the light 31 is near enough the line ofreadable numerals on the wheels 10 to effectively illuminate them. Byutilizing a lamp of the character described, it has become possible toilluminate the wheels 10 in the exceedingly narrow space between themand the top 27 of the computing casing.

Since the lamps 31, of which there is one for each register,advantageously use only a small voltage, each lamp is advantageouslyconnected in series with a suitable resist ance, which is herein shownas a' bracketmounted, keyboard-illuminating lamp. 34, which usually iscarried upon a standard to overhang the keyboard of the machine toilluminate it. Such lamps are. usually either 25 or 40 watt tungstenlamps, and, therefore.

lustrated at 35 and 36, at the left and right,

respectively, in Figure 1, and also in Figure 3, there may be a lamp 31for one register,

and a si ilar lamp 37 for the other register,

each lam adapted toibe maintainedhghted or dark by the star-locking hailof its own register. To accomplish these results, the circuit forilluminating the lamp, 31 of the register 35, may include a conductor 38running from the lamp 34, and forming part of its circuit, saidconductor 38 being connect-- ed to a conductor 39 in series with thelamp to the main 41in series, as will presently appear. v Under suchconditions,the lamp 34 is in series with the lamp 31 between its 31, andthence connected by a conductor 40 conductor 43 connected to one main 42and 7 24 swings the bail 19 rearwardly', that is to say, to the right atFigures 2 and 3,:thus allowing an electric tenninal. 44,flwhich has beenheld clear of a terminal 45, as shown or unlocked, so that it may beoperated for proving that the total has been accurately copied and thatthe register is clear. In this connection it is to be noted that theregister lamp, such as 31, serves the double purpose of giving twodifferent kinds of indications. When the register lamp is lit, itthereby indicates that the register contains a number; and when theregister lamp is extinguished,

' it thereby indicates that the clearance-proving key, such as 15, maybeoperated. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated inthe drawings, the universal member or bail 19, besides controlling theregister lam 31, also controls the cor? responding starey 15. Similarstar-keys 15 are provided for each of the registers of the machine, asshown in Figure 1 for the registers 35 and 36. The terminal 45 may be astiff plate fast to, but electrically insulated from, the usual frontcross-bar 48 of the frame which carries the computing mechanism. Thespring-terminal 44 may be a resilient plate electrically insulated bothfrom the cross-bar 48 and from the bar forming the terminal 45, therebeing, for this purpose, interposed behinda plate 49, of which "theterminal 44 is the end, an insulating sheet 50, the upper end of whichinsulates the bail 19 from the plate 49. The two terminals 44 and 45 maybe held to the bar 48 by a screw 51, suitably insulated from them bywashers or other devices, and the wires 46 and 47 may be respectivelyconnected to the two terminals 44 and 45 at their bottoms, as shown inFigures 2 and 5.

To enable the lamp 37, of the register 36, to be lighted, it isinterposed between the conductor 38 and the conductor 39, thus normallybeing in series with the lamps 34 and 31. In order to extinguish thelamp 37 it may be short-circuited, as in Figure 3, by a conductor 52which is electrically connected to the conductor 47, and ends in aterminal or contact 53, against which a terminal or 'contact 54 isadapted to lie, so that the two cont-acts form a circuit with theconductors 52 and 55, the latter extending from the terminals 54 to theconductor 38, short-circuiting the lamp 37. Excepting at their upperends, which are adapted to be separated, the contact plates or terminals53 and 54 are insulated from each other by an interposed insulatingstrip 50, and. also are insulated from the frame bar 48, and are securedthereto by means of a screw 51 similarly to the contact-forming platesor terminals 45 and 49. The terminal 54 is adapted to be swungout tobreak the short-circuit 52, 55, and therebycause the lamp 37 to be lit,to show that the register 36 is not at zero, and, for this purpose, theregister 36, shown at the right in Figures 1 and 3, is provided with abail 56, which may be identical with the bail 19, being controlled bydetents 57 which are controlled by the wheels 10 of the register 36,precisely as are the detents 21 of the register 35. The connections,therefore, are such that the bail 56 is adapted to allow the terminals53 and 54 to remain in contact when the wheels of the register 36 allshow zero, as in Figure 1 at the right, but, at other times, and asshown in Figure 3 at the right, the bail holds the terminal 54 clear ofthe terminal 53, with the result that the short-circuit 52, 55, isbroken and the lamp 37 is lighted. The mains 42 and 41 may be providedwith the usual switch 58, which is adapted to extinguish all the lights34, 31 and 37. When both of the short circuits, around the registerlamps 31 and 37, are in closed condition, the desk lamp 34 will providesuflicient re-' sistance to prevent a destructive rush of currentthrough the closed circuit thus provided. Should one of the registerlamps 31 or 37 fail. the operator will be apprised of this fact throughthe extinguishing of the desk lamp 34. o i

In Figures 4 and 6 is shown a somewhat modified construction. In Figure4. the current, instead of passing through the lamp 334, pames'through aresistance '59, which servesthe purpose of the lamp 34 in pro- 1 tectingthe lamps 31 and 37 of Figure 4 from excessive current and may itself bea tungsten lamp. The lamps 31 and 37 of Figure 4, however, are shown inparallel. and may be operated from mains 60 and 61, across 11 which theyare connected inparallel, therebeing provided for the lamp 31 aspringterminal 62, which normally tends to spring clear of the terminal63, as shown in Figures 4 and 6', and there being provided for the lamp37 a spring-terminal 64, which normal y tends to spring clear of a fixedterminal 65. Each of the terminals 62 and 64. however, is of the formshown in Figure 6, in which the bail 19 or 56. as the case deceived bythe fact that the burnt-0ut'180 lamp does not light. In each form of theinvention. however, the lamp of either register is adapted to showwhether its register stands at zero, and, whenever its register does notstand at zero, the digits on the wheels thereof are adequately lighted,thus being of especial utility in rapid operation of the machine, andalso furnishing light to relieve the eyes of the typist at the time theeyes need to be used on the hitherto poorly-illuminated register wheels.In the Underwood standard bookkeeping machine, referred to above, and towhich the present invention is shown applied, the surfaces of theregister wheels are usually black with white numerals, instead of beingbrass with black numerals, as is the casein many types of computingmachines. The white numerals of the Underwood standard bookkeepingmachine are especially well adapted for use in connection with thepresent invention.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

1. In a. combined typewriting and computing machine, the combinationwith a casing and a register comprising dial-wheels lying close to thecasing, of a lamp within said casing and lying along said wheels, :1screen adapted to keep the direct rays of the lamp-trom striking theopening in the casing through which the wheels may be read, a devicecontrolled by the wheels to occupy one position with the register in onepredetermined relative arrangement. and another position with theregister-wheels in another predetermined relative arrangement, andconnections for controlling said lamp by said device.

2. In a computing machine. the combination with a casing and a registercomprising dial-wheels, of a lamp forilluminating the wheels, a devicecontrolled by the dial-wheels to occupy one position with the registerin one condition, and another position with the register in anothercondition, and connections whereby the device controls the lamp.

3. In a computing machine. the combination with a casing and a registercomprising dial-wheels, of a lamp for illuminating the wheels, and meansfor lighting said lamp when anyone of the wheels ismoved from its zeroposition.

4. In a computing machine.- the combination with a casing and a registercomprising dial-wheels, of a lamp, a pair of mains carrying acurrent forsaid lamp. a register-lamp connected in series with the first lamp, andmeans for short-circuiting said register-lamp by movement of theregister-wheels to zero.

5. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a registercomprising register-lamp for each register in series with thefirst-named lamp, a separate connection for each register-lamp adaptedto short-circuit it, and means operated. by the turning of any wheel ina register for makingthe short-circuit for that reg ster ineffectivewhen any wheel thereof turns from zero.

7. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a pluralityof registers comprising dial-wheels, of a registerlamp for eachregister, mains. for supplying current to said lamps, and a connectionop erated by each register for lighting its lamp from the mains when anywheel thereof moves away from zero.

8. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a registercomprising dial-wheels, of a detent for each wheel, a bail universal tosaid detents, a spring normally tending to move said bail, theconnections being such that any wheel notstanding at zero moves itsdetent to move the bail against its spring, and a register-lampcontrolled by said bail.

9. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a registercomprising dial-wheels, of a detent for each wheel, a bail universal tosaid detents, a spring normally tending to move said hail, theconnections being such that any wheel not standing at zero moves itsdetent to hold the bail against its spring, a register-lamp, a circuitfor said register-lamp comprising terminals adjacent said bail andcontrolled thereby, and a spring holding one of the terminals againstthe hail, the connections being such that the bail is held against itsspring by any wheel not standing at zero.

10. In a computing machine, the combination with a caslng and aplurality of registers comprising dial-wheels, of a lamp for eachregister, mains carrying a current for said lamps, a separate bail foreach register adapted to occupy one position when all its wheels standat'zero and to occupy another position when any wheel stands away fromzero, and a terminal for each lamp controlled by the bail of itsregister.

11. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and aplurality of registers comprising dial-wheels, of a lamp for eachregister, mains carrying'a current for said lamps, a separate bail foreach register adapted to occupy one position when all its wheels standat zero and to occupy another position when any wheel stands away fromzero, a terminal for each lamp controlled by the bail of its register, ageneral illuminating amp in series with said register-lamps, andshort-circuits for the register-lamps through which the terminals areeffective.

12. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and aplurality of registers comprising dial-wheels, of a lamp for eachregister for illuminating its wheels and lying within the casing, aterminal for each lamp adjacent its register to enable the register tocontrol the lamp circuit, and a device universal to the wheels of eachregister adapted to control the terminal for that register, to cause itslamp to be lighted whenever any one of its register-wheels moves awayfrom zero.

13. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and aplurality of registers comprising dial-wheels, ofamain lamp, a registerlamp for each register, mains for carrying a current for said main lamp,said register-lamps in series with the main lamp, short circuits for theregister-lamps, and circuit-controlling devices operated by eachregister to control. the short circuit of its lamp.

14. In a computing machine, the combination with a key for printing aclearance sign, of a register. a bail for said register controlling saidkey to render it operable only when the register is clear, a lamp forsaid register to indicate the condition of said key as to operability,and a circuit for said lamp controlled by said bail to enable the lampto indicate when said key may be operated.

15. In a computing machine, the combination with a key for printing aclearance sign, of a register. means controlled by said register forcontrolling said key to render it operable only when the register isclear, a lamp for said register to indicate the condition of said key asto operahility, and a circuit for said lamp controlled by said means toenable the lamp to indicate when said key may be operated.

16. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, of a key for each register for printing a clearance sign, aseparate hail for each register for controlling the key thereof torender it operable only when the register is clear, and a separate lampfor each register automatically controlled by its bail to'enable thelamp to indicate when said key may be operated.

17. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, of a key for each register for printing a clearance sign, aseparate set of detents for each register for controlling its key torender it operable only when the register is clear, and a separate lampfor each register automatically controlled by its detents to enable thelanilp to indicate when said key may be operate 18. In a computingmachine, the combination with a plurality of registers, of a key foreach register for printing a clearance sign, a separate bail for eachregister for controlling the key thereof to render it operable only whenthe register is clear, a separate lamp for each register automaticallycontrolled by its bail to enable the lamp to indicate when said key maybe operated, and a telltale lamp for the computing machine adapted to beextinguished whenever a register lamp which should be lit isextinguished.

19. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprisingnumberwheels, of a key for printing a clearance sign, key-controllingmeans operated by the register for controlling said key to render itoperable only when the register is clear, and indicating meansautomatically controlled by said key-controlling means for indicatingwhen said key may be operated to enable the printing of the clearancesign.

20. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprisingnumeralbearing elements for indicating the results of computingoperations, of a key for printing a clearance sign, means controlled bythe register for controlling said key to render it operable only whenthe register is clear, and means other than said numeral-bearingelements automatically controlled by the register for indicating whethersaid key may be operated to enable the printing of the clearance sign.

21. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprisingnumberwheels, of a lamp for the register, a key for printing a clearancesign when the numberwheels stand at zero, and means controlled by theregister for concomitantly locking said key'and lighting the lamp toindicate that said key is locked when any numberwheel moves away fromits zero positionand for concomitantly releasing said key anextinguishing the lamp to indicate that said key may be operated forprinting the clearance sign when the number-wheels are returned to thezero position.

22. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprisingnumberwheels for indicating the results of computing operations, anelectric lamp for illuminating the numeral-bearing faces of thenumber-wheels, an electric circuit in which the lamp may be included tolight the lamp, :1 key for printing a clearance sign, means including acircuit controller in control of the electric circuit, and amemberuniversal to and operable by the number-wheels for concomitantlylocking said key and operatreturned to the zero position.

ing the circuit controller to light the lamp to indicate that said keyis locked when any one of the number-wheels is moved away from its zeroposition, and for concomitantly unlocking said key and extinguishing thelamp to indicate that said key may be operated when all of thenumber-wheels are 23. In a computing machine, the combination with aregister comprising numberwheels for indicating the results of computingoperations, of automatically-operated illuminating means to indicatethat a number has been run up on the number-wheels.

24. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprisingnumberwheels for indicating the results of computing. operations, of alamp for theregister, and means controlled by the register for lightingthe lamp when any number-wheel moves away from its zero position.

. spondin 25. In a computing machine, the combination with a registercomprising numberwheels for indicating the results of computingoperations, of a lamp for illuminating the numeral-bearing faces of thenumberwheels, and means controlled by the register for lighting the lampwhen any numberwheel moves away from its zero position.

26. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lampfor each register, and means controlled by each register forestablishing a lighting circuit through its lamp when any number-wheelof the register moves away from zero.

27. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lampfor each register, a universal member for each register operable by thenumber-wheels" to occupy one position when all the number-wheels standat zero, and to occupy another position when any numberwheel stands awayfrom zero, and means operable by each universal member for establishingalighting circuit through the correregisterrlamp when any numberwheel 0the register moves away from zero.

28. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lampfor each register for illuminating the numeral-bearing faces of itsnumber-wheels, a lamp circuit for each register- .lamp, means includinga circuit-controller for each register in control of its lamp circuit,and a member universal to and operable by the number-wheels of eachregister for operating the circuit controller for that register to causeits lamp to be lighted whenever any one of its number-wheels moves awayfrom zero.

29. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lampfor each register, a lighting circuit in which the register lamps may beincluded in series, and means including a circuit-corrtroller for eachregister operated by the turning of any number-wheel of a register awayfrom zero for including the registerlamp of that register in thelighting circuit to light the. lamp.

30. In acomputing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lampfor each register, a lighting circuit in which the register-lamps may beincluded in series, a normally closed short circuit for eachregister-lamp, and means operated by the turning of any number-wheel ina register away from zero for opening the short circuit of theregister-lamp for that register to light the register-lamp.

31. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters. each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lampfor each register, a main electric lamp, a lighting circuit includingthe main lamp and in which the register-lamps may be included in series,and means including a circuit-controller for each register operated bythe number-wheels for including the register-lamp for that register inthe lighting circuit to light the register-lamp when any number-wheel ofa register is turned away from zero.

32. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters including number-wheels, of a main resistance, an electricregister-lamp for each register, a lighting circuit including the mainresistance and in which the register-lamps may 105 be included inseries, a normally closed short circuit for each register-lamp,and-means operated by the number-wheels for opening the short circuit tolight the registerlamp when any number-wheel of a register 11 is turnedaway from zero. i

33. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, each including number-wheels, of a main electric lamp, anelectric register-lamp for each 115 register for illuminating thenumeral-bearing faces of the number-wheels thereof, a lighting circuitincluding the main lamp and in which the register-lamps may be includedin series, and a member universal to 120 and operable by thenumber-wheels of each register for including the register-lamp for thatregister in series in the lighting circuit with the main lamp to lightthe registerlamp when any number-wheel of a register 125 is turned awayfrom zero.

34. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, each in cluding number-wheels, of a main resistance, anelectric register-lamp for each 130 register for illuminating thenumeral-bearing faces of the number-wheels, a lighting circuit includingthe main resistance and in which the register-lamps may be included inseries, a normally closed short circuit for each register-lamp, acircuit-controller in control of each short circuit, and a memberuniversal to and operable by the numberwheels of each register foroperating the circuit-controller to open the short circuit 1 to lightthe register-lamp whenever any one of the number-wheels is moved awayfrom zero. I

35. In a computing machine, the combination with a lurality ofregisters, each including num r-wheels, of a detent for eachnumber-wheel, a member universal to the detents for each register to beoperated thereby, a spring normally tending to move the universal memberinto operative rela universal member to light the register-lamp whenevera number-Wheel is moved away from zero.

36; In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality ofregisters, each including number-wheels, of a detent for eachnumber-wheel, a member universal to the detents for each register to beoperated thereby, a spring normally tending to move the universal memberinto operative relation withthe detents, each number-Wheel being adaptedwhen moved away from zero to move its detent and thereby to move andhold the universal member against the ten sion of its spring, a mainresistance, an electric register-lamp for each register connected inserieswith each other and with the main resistance, a normall closedshort circuit connected in multiple with each register-lamp, and acircuit-controller in control of each short circuit and operable by theuniversal member to open the short circuit whenever a number-wheel movesaway from zero.

FRANK W. BLAKE. Witnesses:

EDITH B. LIBBEY, CATHERINE A. NEWELL.

